Pencil



C. R. KEERAN A`lan. -24, `1933.

PENCIL Filed Nov. 7.. 19:50`

Patented Jan. 24, 1933 PATENT OFFICE CHARLES R. KEEBAN, OF EVANSTON,ILLINIS PENCIL Application llled November 7, 1930; Serial No. 493,931.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a mechanical pencil with the upperportion of the barrel, the clip and the clip-securing mea-ns shown insection to illustrate the features of this invention.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the upper portion of thepencil barrel with its clip-securing means of modified form. E

Figure 3 is a transverse section taken as 'indicated at line 3-3 onFigure 1.

Figure 4 is a transverse section taken as indicated at line 4.--4 onFigure 2.

Figure is a partial longitudinal section similar to Figure 2 showing afurther modication of the cli -securing means.

Figure 6 is a ragmentary sectional view showing the clip in the processof assembly and a retaining plug partially inserted in the barrel.

The lead-propelling mechanism which may be understood as housedin thelower or 3 5 ti pedend of the pencil barrel, 1, may` be of any suitabletype and hasno particular relation to the present invention; thereforeit is not illustrated in detail and need not be further described.4 Theupper portion of 10 the barrel, 1, is hollow, as is usual in pencils ofthis type, having a bore indicated at 2.-'

l For holding the pencil upright in a coat or vest pocket the barrel isequipped with a.

spring clip whose external portion is in the usual form of a taperingarm, 3,"preferably terminating in a spherical formation at 4 and benttransversely at 5 to enter an o ening in theform of 'a slot, 6, in thewall o the barrel, 1. Inside the barrel the clip member terminates in atang, 7, bent approximately at right angles to the transverse portion,'5, so as to extend' substantially parallel j to the spring arm, 3, andto the axis of the barrel, 1, in its assembled position.

The tang, 7 of the clip lmember is held in 55 placel by al plug, 8,inserted in the up er end of the barrel and accurately fitting t e bore,2,-preferably so that the plug m'ust be forced in under considerablepressure and is held tightly enough inthe barrel to be considered apermanent fixture therein. In .the form shown in Figure 1 the inner wallof the barrel is formed with a groove, 9, vextending longitudinally fromthe slot, 6, to the open end of the barrel and dimensioned to accommo-G5 date the tang, 7, of the clip member, the depth of the slot beingsubstantially equal to the thickness of the tang. v

In the form shown in Figure 2 the inner wall of the barrel isunbrokenexcept by .the slot, 6, but a longitudinal groove 19 is providedin the outer wall of the plug, 18. In the second modification which islshown in Flgure 5, the plug, 28, instead of being forced into the boreof the barrel, 1, is formed with a short thread,'29, near its upper endwhich engages corresponding threads formed on the inner wall of thebarrel so that the plug, 28, may be screwed home to position for lockingthe tang, 7 in the groove, 9, of the barrel.

With any of the plug structures just described it will be evident thatthe assembly of the clip with the barrel becomes an eX- tremely simplematter. It is only0necessary to enter the tang, 7, in the slot of thebarrel and then swing the tang bodily in the slot, thus rocking thecurved part, 1,0, of the transverse portion, 5,.into place and bringingthe tang fiatly 4against the inner wall of the barrel or the bottom ofthe longitudinal groove in that wall; then the 'insertion of the plugfirmly locks the tangof the clbip in this position.v If the p lug is nottoo tightly fitted, or is screwed into position, as shown in Figure 5,the breakage of the clip, 3, be-

Acomes a very simple matter to repair because it merely involves removalof the plug and insertion 'of a new tang. This can usually be done byvthe retail dealer and thus avoid shipment of the pencil to the factoryfor this repalr. Y

In order to utilize the space in the barrel efficiently I prefer to makethe plug, 8, or either of its modified forms, 18 or 29, hollow so as toserve as a chamber or reservoir for spare leads, which are indicated inthis position at 11 in Figures 1, 3 and 4. And preferably I combine withthe hollow plug as an y integral portion thereof a somewhat largerremoved its prongs tend to open, thus releasing the eraser, 13 andpermitting it to be re-adjusted, usually outwardly, to compensate forwear; or the erasermay be completely removed and replaced by a new one,whereupon the spring holder will be re-inserted in the socket, 12.Occasionally, it may be dif'- icult to grasp the eraser u nit at thebends, 14h, and in such instances a pin or similar implement may beinserted in the aperture, 16, of the socket, 12, said aperture beinglocated opposite the lower edge of the spring holder, 14, as indicatedin Figure 5.

" It will be understood, of course, that any manipulation or adjustmentof the eraser is carried `on after removal of the outer ornamental cap,20, if such cap is provided, although in more inexpensive grades ofpencils this cap may be entirely omitted from the structure. Such cap,20, is merely held by frictional engagement with the outer surface ofthe socket, 12.

The hollow plug, 8, and its connected socket portion, 12, may be formedfrom sheet metal by well known methods similarto those used in thedrawing of cartridge shells, the bottom low cylindrical body with anaperture in its wall, a clip comprising a portion extending through saidaperture with a ieldable arm bent transversely of said portion and lyingalong the outside of the barrel, and a tang also bent transversely ofsaid portion` but extending within the barrel in contact with the innerwall thereof, together with a plug inserted in the barrel anddimensioned to grip the tang between its outer wall and the inner wallof the barrel, said plug having, a hollow portion at its outer endextending beyond the barrel serving to hold an eraser, the barrel havinga groove to accommodate the ta'nk of the clip, and the plug and barrelhaving cooperating threaded portions by which the plug is retained inclip-holding position.

2. In the combination dened in claim 1, said plug being in the fbrm of ahollow shell having a portion adapted to serve as a magazine for lsparewritingA points for the implement, the eraser being removably held inthe outer end ortion of the plug and serving as a closure or saidmagazine.

3. In a pencil, a hollow barrel having an aperture in its wall, a clipcomprising a portion extending through said aperture, a yield.- able armbent transversely of said portion and lying along the outside of thebarrel, and a tang also bent transversely of said portion extendingwithin the barrel in contact with v the inner wall thereof,-togetherwith a plug inserted in the barrel and firmly held therein againstlongitudinal movement to grip the tang between its outer wall and theinner wall of the barrel, said plug being in the form of a hollow shellclosed at the inner end having a portion adapted to serve as a sparelead magazine for the pencil, and a portion at its outer end of largerdiameter serving to hold an eraser and forming a shoulder at thejunction of said portions to abut the end of the barrel for limiting theinsertion of the smaller portion therein.

CHARLES R. KEERAN.

wall of the hollow plug being left in place to serve as the bottom ofthe spare lead chamber, thus avoiding the 'expense and work of inserting'a special'plug or diaphragm to perform this function. When the barrel,1, is formed of bakelite, celluloid or other molded composition 'it is asimple matter to hold the groove, 9, in forming the main bore, 2. But

- i when the barrel is to be of metal tubing or any standard tubing itmay be considered preferable to employ the form of plug shown at 18 inFigure 2, in which the groove, 19, is pressed into the wall of the plugitself so that no special formation is required in the bore of thebarrel, 1a.

I claim:

1. In a writing implement including a hol-

